Senate Judiciary Committee takes up more gun legislation

Michael Undlin of Plymouth peered over his wired-framed glasses at the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday (Feb. 21) and admitted he had faced mental health challenges.

Undlin, 57, told the senators that he suffers from post traumatic stress, has felt depressed, anxious, but through an active life style, talks with his wife, sleeping well, has successful dealt with the problem.

Michael Undlin of Plymouth spoke of dealing with a mental health issue successfully and yet running afoul of provisions in one gun bill changing law regarding mental health and gun ownership. (Photo by T.W. Budig)

“Despite all that,” Undlin said, “if I keep my gun, I’m a criminal.”

Undlin was one of a long list of people appearing before the committee as it took up gun bills — a House committee heard similar legislation earlier this month.

Lines were starker on other provisions in the bill, which, among other things, would require private citizens in transferring pistols or semiautomatic military-style assault weapons to do so through a federally licensed firearms dealer.

It would allow law enforcement agencies to charge a $25 application fee — a gun owner’s poll tax, one opponent scoffed — and authorizes law enforcement to require applicants to appear in person.

Exemptions for gun transfers between family members.

“We’re getting tired of it,” Gun Owners Rights Alliance Vice President Andrew Rothman said of gun owners being blamed for the problems in the world.

Besides dismissing assertions that 40 percent of gun sales occur without background checks — the number is about 10 percent, opponents argued — Joe Olson, a law professor and Gun Owners Rights Alliance president, styled the legislation as a step closer to gun registration.

“It’s a little clunky at the moment,” Olson said of the perceived mechanisms of registration.

But the pieces are falling into place, he insisted.

Things looked differently to Sami Rahamim, who recalled sending his father a message last fall warning him of a shooting near his business, Accent Signage, but never getting back a reply.

Only later, Rahamim learned that his father, Reuven Rahamim, a highly successful businessman, had been shot and killed in a workplace shooting.

“My father lived the American dream but died the American nightmare,” Rahamim said.